Reading Group Guide
1. At the start of the novel, it is clear that Felicity and Jane live in different worlds. Felicity is constantly busy with her children, while Jane prioritizes her work as an attorney. Over the course of the summer, they begin to find common ground, confiding in each other about their marital issues and developing a more trusting relationship. Have you ever reconnected with someone you had grown apart from? How did your relationship change?
2. Alison is excited that her fiancé’s home on Nantucket can be a place where their soon-to-be blended family can grow closer. Do you have any longstanding traditions in your own family, or have you ever started a new tradition? If so, what makes them meaningful to you?
3. Cynthia, the wife of one of Noah’s colleagues, tells Felicity of Noah’s affair with Ingrid. Do you agree with this course of action? If you were Cynthia, would you mention the incident to Felicity?
4. Jane is distraught when Scott goes to Wales without her, and their marriage is reaching its breaking point. Yet when she rushes to his bedside later on, Scott tells her that he has had an epiphany and now wants to have children. Have you ever experienced an unexpected event that altered the course of a relationship or friendship?
5. Felicity notes that it is “awkward” watching Poppy discipline Luke, but she brushes off Poppy’s remarks to him for the sake of remaining cordial. Think about Felicity’s and Poppy’s parenting styles. How do you think their personalities dictate the way they approach parenting?
6. When Felicity confronts Noah about his fling with Ingrid, he attempts to justify his behavior, citing the pressures of building his company. How do the standards that Noah sets for himself make him a better or worse partner? Can you sympathize with him on any level, given his actions?
7. Jane and Scott’s marriage is based on their common interests: their shared love of the outdoors, their professions as lawyers, and even their initial aversion to having children. Think about the most important relationships in your life. What makes them so significant to you, and how did they begin?
8. Poppy clearly struggles with her father’s impending nuptials, not to mention the future of English Garden Creams. When David tells her that he plans to include Alison, her daughters, and her grandchildren in his will, she is appalled. Is her reaction justified? Discuss.
9. For Alison, her marriage to David signifies the beginning of a new life, six years after the death of her first husband. Think about finding happiness after loss. What do second chances mean to you?
10. At the end of the novel Felicity and Noah are still at an impasse. She notes that, going forward, she is “free to change. She could leave Noah, but she didn’t want to” (page 290). What do you think is in store for Felicity and Noah’s marriage?
